Impact of eutecto-oleogel on functional, textural and rheological attributes of wheat flour cookies as a fat replacer

Abstract

The study aimed to understand the effect of eutecto-oleogel on wheat dough and cookie quality. The oleogel was prepared using rice bran oil, beeswax, starch, and natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES), constituting malic acid and glucose. The quality of the cookies was evaluated based on their physicochemical, functional, rheological, and textural properties at oleogel concentrations ranging from 20% to 100% of total fat. The qualitative properties of the cookies, such as dimensions, color, water solubility, and textural properties, varied significantly (p > 0.05). The basic chemical composition, textural properties, and physical attributes of the cookies were compared with control sample and sample with NADES provided a better acceptability. Sensory analysis using a 9-point hedonic scale was conducted and the sample with 60% oleogel showed the highest overall acceptability. Furthermore, changes in the cookie texture and stability were monitored over 35 days of storage at room temperature (25 °C) under 75% and 94% RH. It was found that in almost all the properties, the oleogel cookies resembled the control cookies. This manifested a new approach to replace solid fats in confectionery.